La guerra dei mondi

To be an effective thriller, a sci-fi film absolutely must impart to the viewer a sense of --- coldness, either the physical coldness of outer space or other worlds, or the emotional coldness of science.

Cedric Hardwicke's opening narrative in "The War Of The Worlds" is brutally cold, and the added images uninviting. The martian machines, vaguely resembling "legless swans", are both beautiful and terrifying. They move slowly, in a graceful but calculating manner. They warn of their approach with an eerie, unearthly "pinging" sound.

In the scene where the priest walks toward one of the "swans", the aliens do not impulsively open fire. Instead, they wait. The cruel "eye" peers down on the priest, studying him, in a foreboding prelude to his inevitable annihilation.

Other scenes in the first half also convey this needed sense of alien coldness. We can, therefore, forgive the film for its somewhat corny plot.

The film's second half is weaker because the aliens have to compete for screen time with Los Angeles mob scenes, a showy and irksome display of American military hardware, and dry narration of military war tactics. But even in this second half, suspense filters through, as we watch the heartless "swans" eject their heat rays on a helpless Los Angeles.

For sci-fi films made before "2001: A Space Odyssey", "The War Of The Worlds" is one of my three favorites, along with "Robinson Crusoe On Mars" and "Forbidden Planet".

The film adaptation of the H.G. Wells story told on radio of the invasion of Earth by Martians.

So, you know, most of the backgrounds look like matte paintings, creating a set that is only about ten or twenty feet in depth. But that is unimportant. The colors, the impressive meteor and alien technology... few films -- maybe none -- were able to look so incredible in that era.

The story has been told multiple times, and most people are probably aware of the basics. But this version may be the best, far better than the Tom Cruise version fifty years later, and maybe even better than the original radio drama.

Martians have used up the resources of their planet and they're looking for other planets. A suspected meteor lands outside the Californian town of Linda Rosa. People have gathered to put out the fire and then to enjoy the sight. Noted atomic scientist Dr. Clayton Forrester who is fishing nearby comes to take a look. Sylvia van Buren teaches library science at USC. They decide to go back to town and wait for the meteor to cool down. The Martians war machine activates and starts its killing spree. Other landings occur around the world.

It is an iconic sci-fi and a marvel of its era. It is still a compelling narrative today. The special effects are fun. The miniatures are terrific. The design of the aliens are timeless. What is even better is the sound design. The alien sounds and the weapons fire are truly memorable. There is a lot of stock footage used. The wires are very much visible. Nevertheless this is not some cheap B-movie. They use some real action effects and stunts. They have lots of extras and the two leads are acceptable as actors. The battle in L.A. is no small matter. The prevalence of the religious tone is something different from the material and more fitting for the time.

Even though this is not a literal translation of the H.G. Welles classic, this is still a good film. I especially loved how it was updated to the 20th century and that all our modern weapons, including the atom bomb, couldn't destroy the Martians. George Pal is definitely one of the most underrated directors of science fiction and this film along his When Worlds Collide and The Time Machine stand out among the great science fiction films of all time.

HG Wells' futuristic novel responds well to the Technicolor splashed on it in this 50s B classic. Gene Barry over emotes in the lead now and then but the martian invasion is handled very well and the tension rises to the final scenes where the surviving populace huddle in the church as the buildings crash and burn around them.

'War of the Worlds' deserves its place as both a highly regarded novel and a well-remembered movie. Byron Haskin and George Pal did a great job in visualising the apocalyptic bits of Wells' text, while still making the end result enjoyable and interesting for the viewer.

Recommended for fans of intellectualised science fiction.